THE UNPREDICTABLE DINO

We could call this collection the best and the worst of DEAN MARTIN.There is absolutely no reason to include the 6 songs that DEAN had already recorded the year before on his country albums.It's clear that REPRISE wanted to cash in on the EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY hit single.On the other hand ,you have DREAM WITH DEAN which is an absolute must for the fans.You'll notice that the voice and the phrasing of DEAN comes across beautifully,and the singer gives the classic songs like FOOLS RUSH IN or BLUE MOON his own personal touch.If DINO would have cared to make other albums like this,he would have equal SINATRA all the way.Incidently,it is quite interesting to put alongside this disc FRANK's 1956 CLOSE TO YOU ballad album.

ONE HALF OF HIS BEST

One half of this two-album CD -- the first half, the album Dream of Dean -- is an absolute must for any fan of Dean Martin -- or even for any American popular music fan. The CD's other half, Everybody Loves Somebody, isn't a must, then again it's got the "hit" version of the title song...

Dream of Dean is a perfect collection of lounge-style cuts -- easy and laid back. The quality of arrangements, accompanying jazz ensemble and record fidelity are matched only by Dean's own wonderful voice. The second album on this CD is strikingly different and is a mixed bag.

If the big, brassy Capitol album This Time I'm Swingin' is Dean's best upbeat LP, then I'd say Dream of Dean is clearly his best intimate one. I only wish these two LPs were married together on one CD!

Worth the investment for Martin fans

While I wouldn't suggest this as the first Dean Martin album in your collection, it'll certainly interest if a hits collection has whetted your appetite for more. The CD of course features a pair of CDs that pushed Martin back in the Top 20 for the first time in years. Both of these albums contain radically different versions of Martin's signature hit "Everybody Loves Somebody" that shot him to #1 at the height of Beatlemania.

The first album "Dream with Dean" might be the crooner's best album. Backed by a small tasteful quartet this is the polar opposite of the music that is normally associated with Dino. (I.E big white goofy choruses, swelling strings etc). The album is all the better for that difference as Martin's truly beautiful voice (better to me than Sinatra's) is accentuated in all its subtle glory. The result is a stunningly intimate recording. On the opening cut "I'm Confessing" (one of his best) you can hear Martin breath as he uses his voice like a painter uses a brush to paint an emotional picture. His vocal really is confessional. The next few numbers give listeners a similar experience.

However, the record's flaws soon show their face. The arrangements though tasteful vary little from song to song and listeners are left begging for a little drama. Dean refrains from some of the more dramatic flourishes and slurs he was famous for but the album could have used an occasional flash of the old Martin charm just to mix things up. This really becomes a problem on the second half of the album when the material gets weaker with the dated "Smile" and the unbearably cutesy "Give Me a Little Kiss Will Ya Huh?". Still hearing Martin in this context is well worth the effort and the album is in general a success. While Martin had a reputation for being indifferent to just about everything, this is a real serious attempt at some kind of art.

The second album is more problematic and indicative of some of the problems inherent in Martin's career. It is kind of a slapdash affair with about half the stuff worth listening to and about half throw away garbage. "Your Other Love" is a dated period piece and probably the worst song ever written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. "Shutters and Boards" and Bobby Darin's "Things" are way too derivative. And can anybody doubt that "Siesta Fiesta" was just recorded to fill album space?

On the other hand, the remade "Everybody Loves Somebody" is a marked improvement over Dean's previous recording by using the classic Martin formula updated with a rock like rhythm section. And it gives listeners a taste of humor and big drama just when we're overdosing on intimacy. "Baby O" is a good lesser Johnny Mercer number in the "Volare" mode and "My Heart Cries for You" is simply beautiful.

There are some flaws in the repackaging as well. While the sound is great there are no new liner notes except for the back cover. The inside flap contains pictures of the original back album jackets but no extra pictures. And there are no full size reproductions of the album covers. This is a loss because "Dream with Dean" sported a beautiful 60s type cover.

Still despite the flaws it's great to have this music available to show fans that Martin could be an artist in addition to being a celebrity.